Ernie Macmillan: "Hannah, he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who can talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself "Serpent Tongue"."

Hannah: "Harry always seemed so nice, though. And after all, he is the one who made You-Know-Who disappear..."

In 1992, Hannah's second year, when the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened, Hannah was one of the many students who believed that Harry Potter was the Heir of Slytherin after it became known that he was a Parselmouth. She was initially sceptical, saying that Harry "always seemed so nice", but was eventually convinced by her friend Ernie Macmillan that Harry was the one that had attacked Muggle-born students around Hogwarts, including her housemate and friend Justin Finch-Fletchley, which didn't go down well with Hannah, unsettling her. When Hermione was attacked by the Basilisk, Ernie and Hannah apologised, knowing Harry would never harm her. Ernie asked Harry if he believed that Draco Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin, to which Harry replied with a quick no, causing both Ernie and Hannah to stare.

Hannah in a Herbology class.

Third year

In her third year, when news got out that Sirius Black (who was classmate Harry Potter's godfather, a fact then unknown to anyone in their year) had escaped from Azkaban, Hannah held the belief that Black could transform himself into a flowering shrub to avoid detection, and would tell this theory to anyone who would listen. She ended up making a spectacle of herself and earned herself some sceptical looks. Even though her theory of transforming into a shrub was incorrect, Sirius Black did in fact use a transformation to avoid detection and escape Azkaban; however, his transformation was into the form of a dog. Hannah's belief that Sirius could transform into a flowering shrub was likely to have originated from her liking of Herbology and the influence of Professor of Herbology, Pomona Sprout, who was her Head of House. [3]

Fourth year

Hannah and Ernie Macmillan offending Harry to show their Support Cedric badges.

During Hannah's fourth year, Hogwarts hosted the Triwizard Tournament. Fellow Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory was one of the Triwizard finalists, and Hannah fully supported him during the tournament's tasks. She also was often seen hanging around with Cedric; despite their age difference, the two seemed to be good friends. Hannah was amongst the many Hufflepuffs who were put out when Harry appeared to be usurping Cedric's rightful place, by becoming the second Hogwarts champion during the Triwizard Tournament, and she showed support only for her fellow Hufflepuff

Hannah in her dress robes at the Yule Ball.

This was because Hufflepuff never received much attention, and she, along with many others, felt Harry was taking the glory away from Diggory. To show her support, she wore a Support CEDRIC DIGGORY - the REAL Hogwarts Champion! badge that was able to change to read POTTER STINKS. Later in this same year Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort, and Harry won the Triwizard Tournament, but this did not matter to Hannah, as Cedric's death made the winner rather irrelevant. Hannah now was presumably amongst the students that believed Harry Potter's claims that Lord Voldemort had indeed returned, and that the Second Wizarding War had really broken out.

However, prior to the first meeting of the D.A., she was worried about getting caught by Umbridge and getting into trouble. Harry found a secret passage from the Dungeons leading to the Seventh Floor that allowed Hannah to get the Room of Requirement unseen.[6]

The pressure of studying for her O.W.L.s had definitely got to Hannah, and she broke down crying excessively during a Herbology class, after claiming to be too stupid to take her exams. She was then taken to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey treated her with a Calming Draught. Despite being treated, Hannah still managed to let pressure get the better of her and during her Transfiguration practical exam: she accidentally multiplied a ferret into a flock of flamingos.[5] Hannah made it through the rest of her exams, and, approaching the end of the year, Hannah was one of the D.A. members who aided Harry when he was attacked by Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe at the end of their fifth year, proving her loyalty and friendship still to Dumbledore's Army, even after its initial purpose had been rendered redundant.[5]

Sixth year

Hannah returned to her sixth year at Hogwarts in 1996. Early on during her sixth year, Hannah was told during a Herbology lesson that her mother, Mrs. Abbott, had been killed earlier in the day, presumably by Death Eaters. As a result of this, Hannah was subsequently pulled out of Hogwarts and did not return for the rest of the year. She was not in school at Hogwarts at the time of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's demise at the hands of Severus Snape.[7] It is possible, as a result of missing most of her sixth year, Hannah would be required to retake the year's courses.

Seventh year

"We're his Army, Dumbledore's Army. We were all in it together, we've been keeping it going."

—Neville to Harry, Ron and Hermione upon their return to Hogwarts.[src]

Hannah was compelled to return to Hogwarts in 1997, as Lord Voldemort had taken over the Ministry of Magic and attendance at Hogwarts had become mandatory for all Pure or Half-blood students; Muggle-borns had to go before a Muggle-Born Registration Commission prior to being admitted to Hogwarts. It is more than likely, as Hannah had missed her previous year of education, she would be made to resit the year, making her technically a sixth year student once again. Whilst back at Hogwarts, Hannah became a member of the revived Dumbledore's Army, now operating under the leadership of Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley in the absence of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. United once again, Dumbledore's Army continued to train students in battle and defence, and the group ran riot around Hogwarts, making life for new Headmaster Severus Snape and Death Eaters Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow difficult. Hannah and Neville are likely to have gotten closer in 1997.

Battle of Hogwarts

Hannah looking over her shoulder in the Hogwarts grounds.

"Harry cast more Shield Charms, and Voldemort's would-be victims, Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott, darted past him into the Great Hall where they joined the fight already flourishing inside it."

When Harry Potter returned to Hogwarts in 1998, Hannah stayed at the school and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, battling against Death Eaters and Voldemort at the end of the school year. Initially, she was part of the group of students led by Fred and George Weasley who were charged with defending the secret passages into Hogwarts from invading Death Eaters. Later on, in what is known as the second stage of the battle, fighting resumed and Harry saved her and Seamus Finnigan with a Shield Charm when Lord Voldemort sent a curse their way. Hannah stood witness to the final demise of Voldemort and survived the battle.[8]

Later life

Having missed a year in education it is likely that, like Hermione Granger, Hannah would resit the same year and they would graduate together in 1999. Sometime later, after surviving the Second Wizarding War, Hannah married her former classmate and leader of the student rebellion, Neville Longbottom. She became the landlady at the Leaky Cauldron, replacing Tom, and the couple lived together above the pub. Neville's students considered the fact they lived above the pub "cool". [9] It is unknown if they had any children.

Physical description

Hannah is described as a pink-faced girl with blonde hair. In her younger years, she usually wore her hair in pigtails.[2]

Hannah Abbott in her Fifth Year.

Personality and traits

Hannah appeared to have a naive streak, since she was easily convinced by Ernie that Harry might be the Heir of Slytherin despite having always considered him to be nice.[10] She also believed that Sirius Black could turn into a flowering shrub (although, given that he was, in fact, an Animagus, the belief wasn't too far from the truth).[3]

Hannah was easily flustered, and appeared to lack self-confidence, as was evidenced by her breakdown in Herbology and her claims of being stupid. It seemed that, when under pressure, she was prone to making mistakes.[5] Despite this, Hannah was a loyal friend, and showed her bravery firstly by joining Dumbledore's Army[5], and then fighting in the defence of Hogwarts.[8]

Magical abilities and skills

Herbologist: Hannah was apparently a skilled Herbologist, as was her husband, Neville, given the fact she attended N.E.W.T. Herbology classes.

Relationships

Hannah with her friend, Ernie.

Ernie Macmillan

Hannah and Ernie Macmillan were close friends during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, both having been sorted into the house of Hufflepuff during their first year. During their second year they both discussed the possibility of Harry being the Heir of Slytherin after the Chamber of Secrets had been declared open, Hannah had her doubts, as she thought Harry was nice, but Ernie was easily able to sway her opinion.[10]

Neville Longbottom

Although it appeared that Hannah and Neville Longbottom were rarely ever together during their school days, their friendship probably evolved from their time in Dumbledore's Army together, and during the student rebellion during their seventh year, as well as just being in the same year and sharing classes for so long - particularly Herbology, Neville's best subject, which the Gryffindors shared with the Hufflepuffs. It is possible that Hannah and Neville both found comfort in each other during their seventh year, since in the previous year Hannah's mother had been killed by Death Eaters, and Neville would understand how she would be feeling as Death Eaters tortured his parents into insanity. Hannah joined Dumbledore's Army under the leadership of Neville, and in the absence of Harry, and proved her loyalty to him throughout the Battle of Hogwarts.

Etymology

"Hannah" is from the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Channah) which meant "favour" or "grace". Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament. As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation.[11]

"Abbott" is a Middle English surname.[12]An abbott was the church position after the pope, archbishops and bishops in the Church hierarchy in the Middle Ages. The ancestors of people with the surname Abbott probably were abbotts or abbesses in medieval times (900-1300)